cteno4 Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 We have had this come up a few threads over the years on this that have gotten buried so this will be a pinned topic that I’ll keep a list i this post as folks add new posts with additional material so we can keep it in one place. please suggest more! cheers jeff General & Technical Information Websites All About Japanese Trains — http://www.allaboutjapantrains.com/ Good overall of Japanese rail systems. Wikipedia: Rail Transport in Japan — https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_Japan Good general starting point for wiki research Japanese Rail and Transport Review — http://www.ejrcf.or.jp/jrtr/start.html great set of pdf publications on the history of Japanese rail and many specific rail technologies Japanese Railway Society — http://www.japaneserailwaysociety.com/ Large english-language site with all things related to Japanese railways and quarterly published English magazine, "The Bullet-In". JORSA Japanese Overseas Railway System Association — http://jorsa.or.jp/en/ Some introductory material about Japanese rail and export of Japanese equipment overseas. New bulletins have to be requested to get access to them Technical Regulatory Standards on Japanese Railways — http://www.mlit.go.jp/english/2006/h_railway_bureau/Laws_concerning/14.pdf Railway Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism Tokyo Rail — http://tekkenweb.sakura.ne.jp/tokyorail/index.html Tokyo Railway Labyrinth — https://tokyorailwaylabyrinth.blogspot.com/ A Profile of Japanese Steam Locomotives — http://steam.fan.coocan.jp/index.html A good English website all about Steam in Japan - all modern classes and preserved operating steam. Railway Books Old Man Thunder: Father of the Bullet Train by Bill Hosokawa History of the creation of the shinkansen about Sogo the JNS president that was the main force in the shinkansen development. (ISBN-13: 978-0965958004) Early Japanese Railways 1853-1914: Engineering Triumphs That Transformed Meiji-era Japan by Dan Free Excellent book with lots of the politics and economics of early rail development in japan and nice early photos, very dense book! (ISBN-13: 978-4805312902) A History of Japanese Railways: 1872-1999 by AOKI, Eiichi, Mitsuhide Imashiro, Shinichi Kato, Yasuo Wakuda Publisher: East Japan Railway Culture Foundation ISBN-13 : 978-4875130895 Pages: 256 This is an exceedingly well produced account of the chequered but impressive growth of Japanese railways. All four authors are key members of the Railway History Society of Japan. One of their number, Mitsuhido Imashiro, was joint author of The Privatisation of Japanese National Railways, reviewed in March 2000. The book is lavishly illustrated, with ten pages in colour. Included in the main text are thirty-eight 'thumbnail' sketches of the leading personalities (all men) who played a part in the progress of the system. Many maps help the reader to see where the network was densest and to follow the growth of the Shinkansen (high-speed) lines; forty-two appendices include statistical tables and diagrams showing the evolution of technical features of locomotives, wagons and carriages. It is the first complete history of Japanese railways written in English. Many sections of the book were published as PDFs on the JRTR website https://www.ejrcf.or.jp/jrtr/history/index_history.html The Lure Of Japanese Railways by Naotaka Hirota The Japan Times Ltd Tokyo 1969. Another of Mr Hirota’s books which is mainly pictorial. It features everything from Shinkansen to development lines in Hokkaido. The mostly black & white photos are very atmospheric, many focus on people rather than just the trains. Some of them look like still pictures from a Japanese film noir. This is one of my favourites. Rails To The Rising Sun by Charles S. Small Golden West Books, San Marino California 1965. No IBSN This book expands on the topics featured in the previous books, being exclusively about railways in Japan. Like his other books, it’s very well written, informative as well as genuinely funny, and well illlustrated with some excellent photos of the less well-known parts of the Japanese railway scene. Again, it’s out of print but it’s a must read for anyone interested in the late Showa era railways. High Speed in Japan: Shinkansen - The World's Busiest High-Speed Railway by Peter Semmens Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing, 2000 ISBN 10: 1902336143 / ISBN 13: 9781902336145 Fascinating and detailed history of the development, engineering and operation of the Shinkansen, the high-speed "bullet trains" that are the pride of the Japanese railroad industry. Discusses the history and structure of Japan's railways, the first high-speed projects, the birth of the Tokaido Shinkansen, the Sanyo Extension, the growth of the network, privatization, the Seikan Tunnel and Seto-Ohashi bridge, on-board services, experiments with Maglev, and a consideration of the Shinkansen's significance. Illustrated throughout with photos (black/white and color) as well as numerous charts and diagrams. With chronology. 108 pages with index. Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan by Christopher Hood Christopher Hood’s in-depth look at shinkansen system and Japan from his doctoral dissertation. Hard to find and expensive even as a kindle. (ISBN-13: 978-0415320528) Steam Locomotives Of Japan by Naotaka Hirota Kodansha International Tokyo 1972. ISBN 0-87011-185-x An overview of Japanese steam locos from 1872 onwards. It features Mr Hirota’s excellent photos, folio diagrams, D51 general arrangement drawings, and a complete list of all government railway loco types with wheel arrangements and builders. If you’re interested in Japanese steam this is the book to get. Japan - Steam in Colour : Vapeur au Japon = Japan - Dampflok in Farbe by Frank Stenvall, ed. Published by Franks Stenvalls Forlag (1980), Malmo, 1980 ISBN 10: 9172660503 / ISBN 13: 9789172660502 Full color crisp photos of steam railroads in Japan. With maps and list of preserved steam locomotives by prefecture. Captions are in English, French, and German. 112 pages. Japanese Steam in the 1970s by Yoshi Hashida Published by Amberley Publishing, United Kingdom, 2022 ISBN 10: 1398103705 / ISBN 13: 9781398103702 Though the famous bullet train launched in 1964, many steam engines were still operational in Japan before withdrawal in 1975. These wonders of narrow gauge railway engineering have often gone unappreciated in Western countries - until now.Japan's distinctive four seasons offer the perfect backdrop for the rail photographer, and allowed Yoshi Hashida to capture steam engines working against a variety of gorgeous backdrops and stunning settings, including mountain scenes and coastal views. This book showcases some of his best shots of steam engines hard at work from 1971 to 1975, focused mainly on Western Japan Japan - Electrics and Diesels : Japan - El- und Diesellok = Japan - Locomotives Electriques et Diesel by Frank Stenvall, Jose Banaudo, Dierk Lawrenz ISBN 10: 9172660554 / ISBN 13: 9789172660557 Published by Frank Stenvalls Forlag, 1982 Crisp full color photos of Japanese electric and diesel locomotives taken by famed railroad photographer Naotake Hirota. Includes list of JNR locomotive allocations as of August, 1979. Captions in English, French and German. 96 pages. Japan’s Colorful Tramways by Colin Brown Light Rail Transit Association (ISBN-13: 978-0948106477) Metros & Trams in Japan (3 volumes) by Andrew Phipps & Robert Schwandl Volume 1 — Tokyo Region (ISBN 13: 9783936573473) Volume 2 — North & Central Japan (ISBN 13: 9783936573527) Volume 3 — West &South Japan (ISBN 13: 9783936573541) Sayonara Streetcar by Ralph Forty. Interurbans Special 70, Interurbans, Glendale California 1978. ISBN 0-916374-33-5 (Out of print) A review of 26 Japanese tramways, all closed by the time the book was published. Plus a list of the then extant city and rural lines. Good text, maps and photos. Tramways in Japan by Ernst Lassbacher Verlag Popischil Wien 1987 English text with English and German captions. Features 27 tramway operators, some of which still run today. Good maps, photos and fleet lists. Far Wheels - A Railroad Safari by Charles S. Small Simmons Boardman Publishing, New York 1959. No ISBN Far Wheels II by Charles S. Small Railhead Publications, Canton Ohio 1986. ISBN 0-912113-31-6 Both books have chapters on Japanese railways. Mentioned are the JNR, various private lines in Hokkaido and Honshu, Kosaka Copper’s 2’6” gauge line, Kinki Nippon Railway, Toby Railway and the Kiso Forest Railway. Other chapters feature narrow and standard gauge railways from around the more obscure parts of world. Mr Small was not only well-travelled, he was an excellent writer with a dry wit and a turn of phrase to match. Both are out of print, but well worth searching for. Delayed Departures, Overdue Arrivals: Industrial Familiarism and the Japanese National Railways by Paul Noguchi University of Hawaii Press 1990 ISBN 0824812883 Archive.org copy Railway Operators in Japan by Makoto Aoki, Yuichiro Kishi, Masafumi Miki, Shuichi Takashima and Kazushige Terada (ISBN-13: 978-4330089096) Japan by Rail: Includes Rail Route Guide and 30 City Guides by Ramsey Zarifeh & Anna Udagawa Guide to traveling japan by rails with many maps (ISBN-13: 978-1905864751) Electric Railways of Japan (3 volumes + supplement) by L.W. Demery; Forty; De Groote; Higgins Volume 1; Tokyo & North Japan (ISBN 13: 9780900433955) Volume 2: Central Japan (ISBN 13: 9780948106026) Volume 3: Western Japan (ISBN 13: 9780948106200) Japan by Rail Supplement (ISBN 13: 9780961153809) Tokyo in Transit: Japanese Culture on the Rails and Roads by Alisa Freedman Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2011 ISBN 10: 0804771456 ISBN 13: 9780804771450 Increased use of mass transportation in the early twentieth century enabled men and women of different social classes to interact in ways they had not before. Using a cultural studies approach that combines historical research and literary analysis, author Alisa Freedman investigates fictional, journalistic, and popular culture depictions of how mass transportation changed prewar Tokyo's social fabric and artistic movements, giving rise to gender roles that have come to characterize modern Japan. Railways in Greater Tokyo = Les Chemins de fer du "Grand Tokyo"; titre de dos: Chemins de fer Tokyo = Bahnen im by Frank Stenvall, ed. Published by Frank Stenvalls Forlag (1982) ISBN 10: 9172660562 ISBN 13: 9789172660564 Beautiful crisp color photos of all the subway lines in and around Tokyo. Taken by famed Japanese railroad photographer Naotaka Hirota, the photos bring the subways to life. Captions are in French, English, and German. With maps. 96 pages. Japan's Railways: Hokkaido to Chubu by Dave Spoonley Publisher: Key Publishing, 2022 ISBN-13: 9781802824612 At the start of the Menji Era Japan emerged from its hundreds of years of self-imposed isolation and modernized rapidly. Part of this modernization was the construction of railways, the first railway opened between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872. This was followed by a rapid expansion of the network, both government and privately constructed, so by the early 20th century the bones of a national system were in place. However, by far the largest development of railways in Japan in the second half of the 20th Century has been the development of the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) network. Japan’s Railways: Kinki to Kyushu ; World Railways Series, Vol. 2 by Dave Spoonley Publisher: Key Publishing, 2023 ISBN-13: 9781802824629 Pages: 96pp At the start of the Menji Era, Japan emerged from its years of self-imposed isolation and quickly modernised. Part of this modernisation was the construction of the railways – the first of which opened between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872. The railways were nationalised in the early 1900s and continued to expand, with new line construction continuing through the 1980s. However, the 1980s also brought rising costs and falling revenues, so the state-owned network was split into seven different companies. Each company owns and maintains its section of tracks and operates the trains. The Privatisation Of Japanese National Railways by Tatsujiro Ishikawa and Mitsuhide Imashiro The Athlone Press London 1998. ISBN 0-485-11452-6-hb A very comprehensive and interesting study of the issues that lead to the breakup and privatisation of JNR in 1987. By no means a dry economic text, it’s worth reading for its insights and analysis. Also a good chronology and maps. Japanese National Railways: Its Break-up and Privatization by Yoshiyuki Kasai Global Oriental 2003. ISBN 1-901903-45-1 Language: English. Brand new Book. This is a rare look into the politics and economics of the largest and arguably most dramatic privatization undertaken in Japan. Yoshiuki Kasai, President of JR Central, guides readers through first-hand accounts of the history of JNR's break-up, the political and internal obstacles faced in the reform process, and the major lessons drawn through his experiences. Japanese National Railways Privatization Study: The Experience of Japan and Lessons for Developing Countries (World Bank Discussion Paper) by Fukui, Koichiro: Published by World Bank, 1992 ISBN 10: 082132201X / ISBN 13: 9780821322017 Other Publications Electric Railroaders Association, January-December 2015 ERA Headlights issue, ERA Tour of Traction In Japan 92 page magazine style book published as 2015 ERA members magazine entitlement. No maps, list of tram lines on the inside back cover and numerous color photos. Japan Railway Websites JR Companies JR Hokkaido — http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/index.html JR Tokai — http://english.jr-central.co.jp/index.html JR Shikoku — http://www.jr-shikoku.co.jp/global/en/ JR East — http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/index.html JR West — http://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ JR Kyushu — http://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/index.html Private Railway Companies (East Japan) Websites Tokyu Corporation — http://www.tokyu.co.jp/global/index.html Tobu Railway Corporation — http://www.tobu.co.jp/foreign/ Keikyu Corporation — http://www.keikyu.co.jp/index.html Odakyu Electric Railway — http://www.odakyu.jp/english/index.html Keisei Electric Railway — https://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.php Keio Company —https://www.keio.co.jp/english/ Seibu Railway — https://www.seiburailway.jp/railways/tourist/english/ Tokyo Metro — https://www.tokyometro.jp/en/ Keisei Electric Railway -- http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.php Kansai Private Railways Kintetsu Railway Co. — https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/ Hankyu Railway — http://www.hankyu.co.jp/global/en/ Keihan Electric Railway — https://www.keihan.co.jp/travel/en/ Nankai Electric Railway — https://www.howto-osaka.com/en/top.html Hanshin Electric Railway — https://www.hanshin.co.jp/global/en/ Meitetsu (Nagoya Railway) — https://www.meitetsu.co.jp/eng/ Enoshima Electric Railway — https://www.enoden.co.jp/en/ Hakone-Tozan Co. —https://www.hakone-tozan.co.jp/en/ Izukyu Railway — http://www.izukyu.jp/foreign_language/en/ Toei Subway (& Toden Arakawa tram) — https://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/ Misc Web Sites Aizu and Tohoku subjects, Showa-era freight cars, and other random things like JGR/JNR administrative structure — https://1960sjnr.neocities.org/index.html Tokyo Train Photos — http://funini.com/train/tokyo/index.html.en Osaka Train Photos — http://funini.com/train/kansai/index.html.en Kyushu Train Photos — http://funini.com/train/kyushu/index.html.en Shinkansen Train Photos — http://funini.com/train/shinkansen/index.html.en Tokyo Railway Labyrinth blog - Introduction to railways in the Tokyo metropolitan area — https://tokyorailwaylabyrinth.blogspot.com JAPAN | Urban Transport Compilation on Skyscraper City. Much new rolling stock and above grounding projects covered here — https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/japan-urban-transport-compilation.828904/page-392 Japan Railways thread on Skyscraper City — https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/japan-railways.484031/page-131 JR Fanning - site aggregating train schedules and maps — https://jrfaning.framer.website/ Japanese Buildings and Scenery Books Pet Architecture Guide Book Vol 2 by Atelier Bow-Wow World Photo Press,Japan (August 31, 2002) IBSN-13: 978-4846523275 “Pet Architecture” features small buildings in Tokyo, many of which adjoin the railway or are nearby. The book has photos as well as dimensioned drawings, so it’s a very useful resource for modelling. Tokyo Houses by Jeremie Souteyrat Seigensha (January 5, 2017) ISBN-13: 978-4861526060 “Tokyo Houses” is purely pictorial, but has some lovely photos of typical street scenes, full of details and inspiration. 4 5 Link to comment
bill937ca Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 East Japan Major Private Railways Keisei Electric Railway https://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.php Keio Company https://www.keio.co.jp/english/ Seibu Railway https://www.seiburailway.jp/railways/tourist/english/ Tokyo Metro https://www.tokyometro.jp/en/ Kansai Major Private Railways Kintetsu Railway Co. https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/ Hankyu Railway http://www.hankyu.co.jp/global/en/ Keihan Electric Railway https://www.keihan.co.jp/travel/en/ Nankai Electric Railway https://www.howto-osaka.com/en/top.html Hanshin Electric Railway https://www.hanshin.co.jp/global/en/ Meitetsu (Nagoya Railway) https://www.meitetsu.co.jp/eng/ Enoshima Electric Railway https://www.enoden.co.jp/en/ Hakone-Tozan Co. https://www.hakone-tozan.co.jp/en/ Izukyu Railway http://www.izukyu.jp/foreign_language/en/ 2 2 Link to comment
bill937ca Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 (edited) Toei Subway (& Toden Arakawa tram) https://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/ Websites: Tokyo Rail http://tekkenweb.sakura.ne.jp/tokyorail/index.html Tokyo Railway Labyrinth https://tokyorailwaylabyrinth.blogspot.com/ Edited May 11, 2019 by bill937ca 1 Link to comment
bill937ca Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Technical Regulatory Standards on Japanese Railways Railway Bureau Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism http://www.mlit.go.jp/english/2006/h_railway_bureau/Laws_concerning/14.pdf 1 2 Link to comment
ben_issacs Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Folks, 'Electric Railways of Japan'., 3 A5 booklets, published several years ago by the Light Rail Transit Assoc. in Britain, Authors, Demery, Forty, DeGroote and Higgins. These cover East Japan, Central Japan and West Japan. Dated by now, but useful with their diagrammatic maps of the systems. Also, 'Japan by Rail' a supplement to the above volumes, by the same authors, 1985, ISBN 0-9611538-0-6 A lot of useful info. about the translation of Japanese characters for various types of trains, etc, details of preserved electric rail vehicles and much more. This volume was published by 'The Map Factory', Box 3484, Los Angeles, CA 90078-3484 . May no longer exists. All the above could be hard to get now-a-days. Regards, Bill, Melbourne. Link to comment
cteno4 Posted May 11, 2019 Author Share Posted May 11, 2019 Thanks bill, they are oop but still available thru used book sellers although not cheap. Nice books I have v 1 jeff Link to comment
bill937ca Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Electric Railroaders Association, January-December 2015 ERA Headlights issue, ERA Tour of Traction In Japan. 92 page magazine style book published as 2015 ERA members magazine entitlement. No maps, list of tram lines on the inside back cover and numerous color photos. Link to comment
marknewton Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Far Wheels - A Railroad Safari by Charles S. Small. Simmons Boardman Publishing, New York 1959. No ISBN. Far Wheels II by Charles S. Small. Railhead Publications, Canton Ohio 1986. ISBN 0-912113-31-6 Both books have chapters on Japanese railways. Mentioned are the JNR, various private lines in Hokkaido and Honshu, Kosaka Copper’s 2’6” gauge line, Kinki Nippon Railway, Toby Railway and the Kiso Forest Railway. Other chapters feature narrow and standard gauge railways from around the more obscure parts of world. Mr Small was not only well-travelled, he was an excellent writer with a dry wit and a turn of phrase to match. Both are out of print, but well worth searching for. Rails To The Rising Sun by Charles S. Small. Golden West Books, San Marino California 1965. LoC card No. 66-21340 This book expands on the topics featured in the previous books, being exclusively about railways in Japan. Like his other books, it’s very well written, informative as well as genuinely funny, and well illlustrated with some excellent photos of the less well-known parts of the Japanese railway scene. Again, it’s out of print but it’s a must read for anyone interested in the late Showa era railways. Sayonara Streetcar by Ralph Forty. Interurbans Special 70, Interurbans, Glendale California 1978. ISBN 0-916374-33-5 (Out of print) A review of 26 Japanese tramways, all closed by the time the book was published. Plus a list of the then extant city and rural lines. Good text, maps and photos. More to follow, Mark. 4 Link to comment
cteno4 Posted May 14, 2019 Author Share Posted May 14, 2019 Thanks mark, May have to pick up some of those! jeff 1 Link to comment
marknewton Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) The Privatisation Of Japanese National Railways by Tatsujiro Ishikawa and Mitsuhide Imashiro. The Athlone Press London 1998. ISBN 0-485-11452-6-hb A very comprehensive and interesting study of the issues that lead to the breakup and privatisation of JNR in 1987. By no means a dry economic text, it’s worth reading for its insights and analysis. Also a good chronology and maps. Tramways in Japan by Ernst Lassbacher. Verlag Popischil Wien 1987. English text with English and German captions. Features 27 tramway operators, some of which still run today. Good maps, photos and fleet lists. Steam Locomotives Of Japan, by Naotaka Hirota. Kodansha International Tokyo 1972. ISBN 0-87011-185-x An overview of Japanese steam locos from 1872 onwards. It features Mr Hirota’s excellent photos, folio diagrams, D51 general arrangement drawings, and a complete list of all government railway loco types with wheel arrangements and builders. If you’re interested in Japanese steam this is the book to get. The Lure Of Japanese Railways by Naotaka Hirota. The Japan Times Ltd Tokyo 1969. Another of Mr Hirota’s books which is mainly pictorial. It features everything from Shinkansen to development lines in Hokkaido. The mostly black & white photos are very atmospheric, many focus on people rather than just the trains. Some of them look like still pictures from a Japanese film noir. This is one of my favourites. More to follow, Mark. Edited May 17, 2019 by marknewton 2 Link to comment
cteno4 Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 Thanks mark, you have some library. I got a copy of the lure of Japanese rr as I liked your film noir description as well as people in the pictures jeff 1 Link to comment
marknewton Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 I think you’ll enjoy that book Jeff. There’s some stunning photos in it. As for my library, it’s probably time I got some new bookshelves: Cheers, Mark. 4 1 1 Link to comment
bill937ca Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Another website http://funini.com/ Tokyo http://funini.com/train/tokyo/index.html.en Osaka http://funini.com/train/kansai/index.html.en Kyushu http://funini.com/train/kyushu/index.html.en Shinkansen http://funini.com/train/shinkansen/index.html.en 1 Link to comment
miyakoji Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 This topic really speaks to my heart :). Great idea to keep this pinned Jeff. My two additions: Japanese National Railways: Its Break-up and Privatization by Yoshiyuki Kasai. Global Oriental 2003. ISBN 1-901903-45-1 Delayed Departures, Overdue Arrivals: Industrial Familiarism and the Japanese National Railways by Paul Noguchi. University of Hawaii Press 1990. ISBN 0824812883 1 Link to comment
Pashina12 Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Would it be out of place to self-plug my own website? It's still small but it's growing, about Aizu and Tohoku subjects, Showa-era freight cars, and other random things like JGR/JNR administrative structure, and I'm working on some Karafuto stuff... https://1960sjnr.neocities.org/index.html 1 1 Link to comment
marknewton Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Two books I have that are very interesting and informative, although neither of them are rail publications. “Pet Architecture” features small buildings in Tokyo, many of which adjoin the railway or are nearby. The book has photos as well as dimensioned drawings, so it’s a very useful resource for modelling. “Tokyo Houses” is purely pictorial, but has some lovely photos of typical street scenes, full of details and inspiration. Cheers, Mark. 2 Link to comment
cteno4 Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 Oooh both of those look nice especially the pet architecture book! Ouch as it’s oop and not cheap but very tempting! Love the interesting buildings in the Tokyo houses, would be nice to model a few wild ones to pop in here and there! jeff Link to comment
Gilles Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) A great list. Here are some books that are not included. Semmens, Peter High Speed in Japan: Shinkansen - The World's Busiest High-Speed Railway Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing, 2000 Freedman, Alisa Tokyo in Transit: Japanese Culture on the Rails and Roads Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2011 Stenvall, Frank ed. Railways in Greater Tokyo = Les Chemins de fer du "Grand Tokyo"; titre de dos: Chemins de fer Tokyo = Bahnen im Grossraum Tokyo. Malmo: Frank Stenvalls Forlag, 1982 Stenvall, Frank ed. Japan - electrics and diesels : Japan - El- und Diesellok = Japan - locomotives electriques et diesel Malmo: Frank Stenvalls Forlag, 1982 Stenvall, Frank ed. Japan - steam in colour : Vapeur au Japon = Japan - Dampflok in Farbe Malmo: Frank Stenvalls Forlag, 1980 Edited February 12, 2021 by Gilles Typo corrected 2 1 Link to comment
cteno4 Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 Thanks Gilles! Weird I thought I had added those before! All updated along with one from Bill I missed. jeff Link to comment
Gilles Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 The list is lovely, a great resource. I hope to be in Tokyo not long after we are able to travel to Japan again. This will be celebration of the publication of my new book (shameless plug) Tokyo Stroll. I'll check some major bookshops, railroad modeling, and rail fan shops while there. I'll post if I find anything else. Here is one title I missed, it is bilingual and includes a region 2 DVD. 新幹線の誕生ー"夢の超特急"0系新幹線 by 鉄道博物館学芸部企画・構成・著作 ; レイル・マガジン編 鉄道博物館, [2010] Translation: Birth of the Shinkansen: "Dream Super Express" by Railway Museum, Faculty of Arts, Planning, Composition, and Writing; Rail Magazine Edition Railway Museum, [2010] Link to comment
bill937ca Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 (edited) I was sitting here reading the new book catalog from MDS Books in the UK and I spied a new book on the history of Japanese Railways. Unfortunately MDS is no longer shipping outside the UK "due to the massive increase in carriage charges caused by high fuel prices and the additional paperwork and custom charges as a result of Brexit." But it is a small shop. Japan's Railways: Hokkaido to Chubu At the start of the Menji Era Japan emerged from its hundreds of years of self-imposed isolation and modernized rapidly. Part of this modernization was the construction of railways, the first railway opened between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872. This was followed by a rapid expansion of the network, both government and privately constructed, so by the early 20th century the bones of a national system were in place. However, by far the largest development of railways in Japan in the second half of the 20th Century has been the development of the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) network. Even before the Second World War it was recognized that the Tokaido Line between Tokyo, and the Kansai Region was reaching capacity, and the brave decision was made to construct a brand-new high-speed line on a new alignment. Beautifully illustrated, this book is a product of several visits made by the author to Japan over a 14-year period. During this time, new trains had been introduced, old trains retired; new lines had opened, some lines sadly have closed, and several fine new museums had opened. This book looks at the changing scene of Japan’s railways. Key Publishing is the publisher https://shop.keypublishing.com/products/japans-railways-volume-1 Barnes & Noble is taking pre-orders for December 14, 2022 release. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/japans-railways-dave-spoonley/1142083540 Available in Australia from Booktopia. https://www.booktopia.com.au/japan-s-railways-dave-spponley/book/9781802824612.html MDS books also lists another Japanese railway book on its website. This book was published 15 July 2022. But again MDS is not shipping outside the UK at this time, so we need alternative sources. But I did find the publishers link for this book. https://www.amberley-books.com/japanese-steam-in-the-1970s.html And it is on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Steam-1970s-Yoshi-Hashida/dp/1398103705 Available from Barnes and Noble too. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/japanese-steam-in-the-1970s-yoshi-hashida/1136739849 Japanese Steam in the 1970s Though the famous bullet train launched in 1964, many steam engines were still operational in Japan before withdrawal in 1975. These wonders of narrow gauge railway engineering have often gone unappreciated in Western countries, until now. Japan’s distinctive four seasons offer the perfect backdrop for the rail photographer, and allowed Yoshi Hashida to capture steam engines working against a variety of gorgeous backdrops and stunning settings, including mountain scenes and coastal views. This book showcases some of his best shots of steam engines hard at work from 1971 to 1975, focused mainly on Western Japan. Edited November 16, 2022 by bill937ca 3 1 Link to comment
bill937ca Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 While on Key Publisher's website, I found there is a third book coming. Japan's Railways volume 2 Japan’s Railways: Kinki to Kyushu ; World Railways Series, Vol. 2 £15.99 Author: Dave Spoonley Pages: 96pp At the start of the Menji Era, Japan emerged from its years of self-imposed isolation and quickly modernised. Part of this modernisation was the construction of the railways – the first of which opened between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872. The railways were nationalised in the early 1900s and continued to expand, with new line construction continuing through the 1980s. However, the 1980s also brought rising costs and falling revenues, so the state-owned network was split into seven different companies. Each company owns and maintains its section of tracks and operates the trains. Following on from Japan’s Railways: Hokkaido to Chubu, this book takes the reader on a journey from Kinki to Kyushu, showcasing the lesser-known, and lesser-visited, lines. Spanning the years between 2004 and 2016, this book is fully illustrated with over 170 images, and shows how the lines have changed during this time, along with the various trains and tracks that cover Japan. https://shop.keypublishing.com/products/japans-railways-volume-2?_pos=1&_sid=38b844730&_ss=r 2 1 Link to comment
marknewton Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 I'm not sure how this book got overlooked, but better late than never: Probably the best English language history available. All the best, Mark. 2 Link to comment
cteno4 Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 Thanks @marknewton, added. Very hard to find now and expensive! Luckily they keep the pdfs available. How close are the pdfs to the book? jeff Link to comment
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